Reach and reputation

Allen Blewitt, ACCA�s CEO, talks to John Prosser

It�s approaching midnight in the ballroom of the Cardiff Hilton. The ACCA Wales centenary festivities are approaching a noisy climax and as the disco blasts away the last chance of a conversation, Allen Blewitt is on the dancefloor and demonstrating the kind of Terpsichorean skill that leads one to wonder whether hoofing was one of the key competencies leading to his securing the top post at ACCA.

For the CEO, this is a rare off-duty moment in a punishing schedule. But even if dancing is not a core business skill for Blewitt, juggling surely is. Big issues have more than kept his hands full. On the one hand there are IFRS, the reputation of the profession, managing ACCA�s continued rapid growth and delivering value to ACCA�s Council and its members; and, on the other, competition, the potential merger between CIMA, CIPFA and ICAEW, a new syllabus, the introduction of CPD, recognition in Hong Kong� the list goes on.

At his first year as CEO draws to a close, Blewitt is frank about the learning curve. �The year has been much more intense than I first anticipated because there have been a lot of very fast moving issues which were almost impossible to foresee 12 months ago. For example, whilst we suspected there would be problems with the imminent roll out of international reporting standards we didn�t really foresee the extent of political interference, which has caused such an intense debate, in Europe in particular, about IAS 39. There has been a lot of work behind the scenes as people, including ACCA, have sought to persuade Europe to accept the totality of international standards without carve out. This creates concern that when some of the tougher standards come up like share-based payment and the insurance standard, politics will intervene again and global commitment to convergence could be somewhat restrained.�

But in spite of the rollercoaster ride for international standards, Blewitt is emphatic about ACCA�s position. �We are totally committed to convergence. We believe that there will be some pain, but the greater good and the public interest require full commitment to IFRS if capital markets are to regain confidence in the behaviour of accountants. It is also clear, from what our members say, that IASB must accelerate relevant and meaningful standards for small businesses and SMEs.�

Blewitt also remains very clear about what kind of leader he is and what he intends to deliver to ACCA�s Council and members. �I�ve brought to Council a very different style, a very open style. I�m prepared to have robust open debate within Council and I think this has been welcomed.

�I have assured the Council that I will report regularly, freely and openly about the organisation and its performance and we will make this information available to members via the AGM. In 2005, we will run ACCA�s AGM in two locations, London and a major overseas location where we have a concentration of members, so that members can feel engaged with the organisation and participate in its governance through the AGM. The meetings will be linked by video conferencing. We will be the first professional body to do this.�

Reach and reputation have become watchwords for Blewitt. But with the declared mission of making ACCA the leading professional body in the world, in terms of size, influence and reputation, he is not expecting an easy ride for ACCA in the foreseeable future. He acknowledges that, �in the last six to eight months in particular, the competitive landscape for ACCA has become much hotter. The language our competitors are using has raised ACCA as a spectre. They are saying �look how rapidly ACCA has grown, we need to merge to compete�. The fact that three of the UK bodies are attempting a consolidational merger is frankly in response to ACCA�s success.�

But could ACCA yet become a victim of its own success? Blewitt responds: �In the next few years ACCA will have to focus its growth more carefully. We cannot be in all markets at an equivalent level of investment. We need a much more analytical and prioritised approach to new markets and we are developing the policies for that right now. It is also vital for members to know that ACCA has its own quality assurance process, that Oxford Brookes provides quality assurance over examination setting and marking and that, in addition, the UK quality assurance agency provides assurance over Oxford Brookes.�

The CEO is only too well aware that if ACCA is to achieve its potential, he must deliver tangible, measurable value, both to Council and ACCA�s worldwide membership. But how? �It�s a package of value,� he says. �A designation, which opens doors to job opportunity throughout an individuals� professional life, is clearly of value, but proving value to members goes a long way beyond simply saying that, by comparison with other professional bodies, ACCA is more economic.� He adds: �Apart from tangible things like publications, our new CPD solution, ACCA Realise, will bring home to members in their places of work, the value of ACCA. We have the most contemporary, thorough and flexible CPD offering of all the professional bodies. Our staff are developing networks providing opportunities to work with those with similar interests and we are increasing specialist technical managers in our international offices. Members will see that our relationships with governments and regulators are being well managed and that we can exercise influence on their behalf, which they could not do alone. We need to ensure that our 100,000 plus members are satisfied members and engaged with ACCA. We have ambitious objectives with respect to member engagement, improved alliances and investment in infrastructure and I am addressing these as a priority.

�We intend to make sure that our 2007 syllabus is a world beater. The world has moved on in what is expected of an international accounting syllabus. We led the way in examining in IFRS, but now everybody will be doing this and our syllabus must evolve to ensure that we are in the first rank of professional bodies. ACCA also has a significant commitment to help develop a more robust worldwide accounting profession and we have been a catalyst to developing educational infrastructures. We don�t shout it from the rooftops but we have a strong commitment to developing the profession in terms of educational and regulatory schemes. The whole objective is for us to be a good corporate citizen in the world accounting profession.�

So, a year down the line, can the profession claim it has really moved on in terms of repairing a badly dented image? �Internationally, the profession has done a great deal. The profession can quite reasonably hold up its head and say, �we are addressing the concerns of the public and regulators and now is the time to implement what we have put in place, and see whether what we have done is sufficient�. It won�t happen overnight but all accountants should do their bit to explain what we have done.� Clearly Allen Blewitt relishes the prospect of ACCA members forming the vanguard of the campaign.